While Warner Bros has not confirmed what role, buzz is that Baldwin is poised play the role of Thomas Wayne, who in DC canon is Bruce Wayne/Batman’s father. Thomas Wayne was first introduced in Detective Comics #33 (Nov. 1939) and he is respected physician and philanthropist in Gotham City. Wayne and his wife are murdered exiting the theater, an incident which young Bruce witnesses. That becomes his m.o. for ultimately becoming a vigilante. In the early comics, Wayne’s murderer is mugger/hitman Joe Chill, but starting with the first Tim Burton 1989 Batman movie, it’s the Joker who is the culprit.

Baldwin joins a growing cast that includes Joaquin Phoenix in the title role, Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy, Marc Maron, and Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond. As has been previously reported, Phillips’ take on the famed DC character will possess a grittier, ’80s sensibility.

Baldwin was recently nominated for his 19th Primetime Emmy. For the second consecutive year, he’s up for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for playing Donald Trump on Saturday Night Love, a role which delivered him a win in the category last September. Overall, Baldwin counts three Emmy wins, his other two being in 2008 and 2009 for outstanding lead comedy actor on 30 Rock. Baldwin was nominated for a supporting actor Oscar in 2004 for The Cooler and recently starred in this summer’s half-billion-plus grossing hit Mission: Impossible – Fallout as well as Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman which is taking off on the specialty circuit with north of $31M. Baldwin is already starring in another Warner Bros.’ feature, the Ed Norton-directed period drama Motherless Brooklyn due out next year.